Sheet roller leveler



De. l2, 1944. w. D. sHlELns SHEET ROLLER LEVELER Filed May 29, 19415 2 SheetsfSheet l Dec. 12, 1944. w. D. SHIELDS SHEET ROLLER LEVELER Filed May 29, 1.943

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. l2, 1944 SHEET `ROLLERI LEVELER AWilliam DI. Shields, Edgeworth, Pa., assigner to I l Edward W. Voss, Dormonvt, Pa.

Application Mayr-29, isiasseriamo. 489,084

s claims.; (criss-"5.4)

tated a machine frame constructionof kexcessive height. In formerleveling machines cooperating leveling `rollsand backup rolls, only lower level-l ing rolls Were adjustable to produce desired straightening elect. The adjusting screws'were further subject to wear,` which resulted in inaccuracies when va plurality o f'backing rolls Were simultaneouslyadjusted. j

Furthermora'theseprior 'art structures did" not provide the necessary rigidity and did notpermit of rugged mounting of the roller frames."

Iii-accordance with the present invention these difficulties are greatly reduced if not entirely eliminated, and it `is among the objects thereof to provide a roller-leveler of simple, compact construction, in which all the back up rolls are adjusted in a simple and expedient manner either individually or in groups simultaneously.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a roller leveler in vWhich the upper levelling rolls and backup rollers are mounted in a yoke that is rigidly secured on the side frames of the apparatus, and in, which thebottom levelling roll and back up rollers are jcurnalled in a cradle which is mounted to be tiltable on saddle supports .that are adjustably mountedin the side frames ofthe device.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a roller leveler in vvhich the cooperating top and bottom levelling rolls and back up rolls are designed as a compact structure with adjusting mechanism that can be` speedilyregulated to produce the desired straightening effect on the sheet or plate material passing therethrough.

The invention further contemplates the use of movable Wedges .or slides for eiecting adjustment of the back up rollers.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings Vconstituting a part hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevational View of a roller leveler embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2' a-front elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 atop plan View; Fig. 4 a cross-sectional view of the adjusting wedge taken alon'gthe line 4-4, Fig. :5;

Fig. v5 a front elevational -View of one of the back up roller brackets with its adjusting "mechanism;

Fig. 6 af detail partially in cross-section of a radial tilt mechanism for the roller cradle of Fig-2lv Fig'. 7 a cross-sectional -view taken along the line -I, Fig. 8 --of the bottom back up roller supports; and

Fig.f'8 a front elevational view'of one of the bottom backup roller brackets.

`With referenceto the several gures of the drawings, the structure ltherein illustrated comprises a base I having vertical end frames `2 mounted thereon, the end frames being connectl edby yoke `3 'secured across the top of the end frames and fastened by screw 'nuts 4.

The basefoi the machine is embedded ina concrete pit 5 to 'bring the working plane or roll pass of the machine in line with the sheet mill..

As shown in Fig. 1, there are two sets of levelling rolls, an upper set 6 and a lower set l. These rolls'are supportedby backing rolls 8 and 9 respectively. The upper set of rolls are mounted on the yoke 3 and the lower set in a cradle generally designated by thenumeral Ill, the cradle resting on saddles 4`I'I disposed in windows of the'en'd frames 2. The cradle I0 is tiltable by a pivot I Ia which is adjustable by a screw I2, Figs. 2 and 6, that is rotated by shaft F3 having a coupling I4 through vwhich it is driven by a rhe'cstat controlled motor I5, Fig. 2. I

As shown in lig.l l, the cradle is provided with an indicator I6 pivoted to the cradle at Il and engaging 'a trunnion or pin I8. Rocking movement of the cradle on the saddles I I will effect displacement"of 1the indicator I6 which inclicates the angular position to which 'the cradle has been adjusted on a graduated scale I9. As is ISlnown'in Figs'. '2 and 6, pin IIa is disposed in a yoke '20 that is attached to the bottom of the cradle Ill'. The motor I5 is controlled by a rheostat 2| having notches 224 and a control lever 23 by which themotor is controlled to drive the cradle to a predeterminedr degree of angularit-y. 'I he rocking of the cradle determines the bite of the leveler rolls to effect an increasing gripping elect on the sheets passing between the rolls. The Working pass of `the top and bottom rolls 6 and 'I, respectively, is adjustable by moving the cradle saddles II vertically by a plurality of adjusting screws 24 which .are driven by motors 25 and 2B.

The backing up rolls 8 and 9, respectively, are adjustable individually and in groups by means of the following mechanisms.

The upper back up rolls are carried on a support 21 which is suspended by adjustable links or bolts 28 from the yoke 3. The supports 21 are biased by coil springs (not shown) that are contained in the housing sleeve of bolt 28 and seat on the shoulder of the member 3. The support 21 may be adjusted vertically with reference to yoke 3 by movement of a wedge 29, having slots 30 for clearing the links 28. The Wedge is provided With a lug 3l through which extends a shaft 32 that is journalled in the yoke 3, shaft 32 being a threaded screw shaft that interacts with the threaded opening in the lug 3| so that upon rotary movement of the screw shaft 32 the wedge will slide in a horizontal plane to extend or withdraw the adjusting wedge. Screw shaft 32 is connected by bevel gears 33 to bevel gears 34 mounted on a common actuating shaft 35, as shown/.in Figs. 3 and 4. Shaft 35 is operated by hand wheel 36 to simultaneously actuate all of the adjusting screws 32. for operating the roller-support adjusting wedges 29 to set the bend of the levelling rolls.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, a similar means is employed .for adjusting the bottom back up roller support which is designated by the numeral 31 and is connected by bolts 38 to the cradle I0, the bolts acting as loose linkage on which the supports 31 are slidable vertically. A wedge 39 having a lug 40 is disposed between the roller support 31 and the cradle I0, and is adjustable by a set screw 4I. In this manner, the bottoml back up rollers are individually adjustable to eiTect proper initial alignment of the bottom levelling rolls.

In Fig. 1 the numeral 42 designates the roll bend indicator as effected through the adjustment of the backing up roller supports by the hand wheel 36 and the numeral 43 designates a longitudinal tilt and height indicator and dial, this indicator being connected by push rods 44 to the cradle saddle l I.

In Fig- 2 the numeral 45 designates a speed reduction unit for operating the cradle tilt mechanism through motor I 5 and the numeral 46 generally designates the roll drive mechanism, the

details of which are not a part of the present invention. j

The operation of the above described roller leveller is briefly as follows:

CII

The bottom leveller rolls are adjusted by the set screws 4I operating wedges 39 to individually adjust the supports 31 of the bottom back up rollers 9 and the hand wheel 36 is rotated to adjust the wedges 29 for the upper back up rollers in accordance with the roll bend desired to produce the straightening effect on the sheets passed between the upper and lower leveling rolls 6 and 1, respectively. Indicator 42 will indicate the roll bend for which the adjustment has been made by hand wheel 36 and motors 25 and 26 are energized to adjust the gauge of the pass between the upper and lower set of leveling rolls as shown by the longitudinal tilt and height indicator and dial 43. The cradle I0 is then adjusted by energizing motor I5 through the control rheostat 2| which, as shown in Fig. 6, rotates screw I2 to move the fulcrurn pin l la to the position producing the desired tilt of the bottom leveling rolls, as indicated on the graduations I9 by the pointer to adjust the pass of the several sets of rolls.

As the sheets are processed by passing through the leveling rolls, further adjustment may be made of the roll bend or the tilt of the cradle by adjusting the hand wheel 36 or by the control rheostat 2l', respectively, to produce the desired relation of the upper and lower leveler rolls for leveling the sheets passing therebetween.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the system of wedges or gibs for adjusting the vertical position of the upper and lower back up rolls is positive and maintains solid support for the back up rollers. It is also apparent that the wedge adjusting means greatly contracts the space formerly required in the use of the screw jacks for the back up roll supports.

It is also apparent that the construction of the roller supporting cradle mounted on the saddles in the side frames of the levelling machines is a sturdy and compact construction that eliminates vibration and wear of the relatively movable parts.

The adjusting screws 24 effects speedy adjustment of the vertical height of the bottom leveling rolls which is indicated by the dial 43, and the motor l5 through the reduction gearing 45 effects a rapid adjustment of the tilt of the cradle through the screw mechanism as shown in Fig. 6.

It is a feature of this invention to provide for the adjustment of both the upper and lower` back up rolls to flex either the upper or lower straightening rolls or both. By being able to adjust the upper leveling or straightening rolls, extra press straightening operations on the sheets are eliminated.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modications may be made in the details of con struction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. In a roller leveler, a 'set of upper and a set of lo-wer leveling rolls, each consisting oi a plurality of rolls of substantial length, the upper and lower rolls being mounted in staggered relation and the lower rolls being mounted to be tilta'ble on a cradle support; back-up rolls for said leveling rolls mounted on supports movable independently of said leveling roll supports and laterally adjusting means mounted in contact with the movable .roll supports of the upper leveling rolls to adjust the back-up rolls to produce the desired roll bend in the leveling rolls.

2. In a roller leveler, a set of upper and a set of lower leveling rolls, each consisting of a plurality of rolls of substantial length, the upper and lower rolls being mounted in staggered relation and the lower rolls being mounted to be tiltable on a vertically movable cradle support; backup rolls for said leveling rolls mounted on supports movable independently of said leveling roll supports, wedge-shaped slides mounted in contact with said movable roll supports to adjust the back-up rolls to produce the desired roll bend in the leveling rolls, and means for adjusting some of said slides.

3. In a roller leveler, a set of upper and a set of lower leveling rolls, each consisting of a plurality of rolls of substantial length, the upper and lower rolls being mounted in staggered relation; back-up rolls for said leveling rolls mounted on movable supports and wedge-shaped slides mounted in Contact with said movable roll supports to adjust the back-up rolls to produce the desired roll bend in the leveling rolls, said slides being coextensive with the area of the back-up roll supports, the slides for the upper back-up rolls ibeing adjustable simultaneously and the slides of the lower back-up rolls being individually adjust` able.

4. In a roller leveler, a base having a plurality of side frames upstanding thereon, a yoke mounted on the top of said frames, saddles mounted for vertical movement in windows of said frames, and a cradle supported at its ends on said saddles, means for adjusting the saddles vertically and means for tilting said cradle on its saddle supports, said yoke having a'plurality of leveling rollers mounted on the lower end thereof and said cradle having a plurality of leveling rollers mounted on the upper end in staggered relation and in alignment with the upper leveling rolls.

5. In a roller leveler, a nase having a plurality of side frames upstanding thereon, a yoke mounted on the top of said frames, saddles mounted for vertical movement in windrows of said frames, and a cradle supported at its ends on said saddles, means for adjusting the saddles vertically and means for tilting said cradle on its saddle supports, said yoke having a plurality of leveling rollers mounted on the lower end thereof and said cradle having a plurality of leveling rollers mounted on the upper end in staggered relation and in alignment with the upper leveling rolls, back-up rolls for said leveling rolls mounted to -be adjustable relative to the latter, means for adjusting said back-up rolls individually or simultaneously, and means for adjusting some of said back-up rolls in groups-to set the bend lof the leveling rolls.

6. In a roller leveler, a base having a plurality ed on the top of said frames, saddles mounted for vertical movement in windows of said frames, and a cradle supported at its ends on said saddles, each of said saddles being provided with a plurality of motor driven screws to adjust the saddles vertically in the windows of said frames, said yoke having a plurality of leveling rollers mounted onv the lower end thereof and said cradle having a plurality of leveling rollers mounted on the upper end in staggered relation and in alignment with the upper leveling rolls.

7. In a roller leveler, a base having a plurality of side frames upstanding thereon, a yoke mounted on the top of said frames, saddles mounted for vertical movement in windows of said frames, and a cradle supported at its ends on said saddles, means for adjusting the saddles vertically and motor driven means for tilting said cradle on its saddle supports, said means comprising a fulcrum pin engaging a slot in the bottom of the cradle, and means for moving said pin transversely of its longitudinal axis to effect corresponding movement of the `cradle o-n the saddle supports, said yoke having a plurality of leveling rollers mounted on the lower end thereof and said cradle having a plurality of leveling rollers mounted on the upper end in staggered relation and in alignment with the upper leveling rolls.

8. A roller leveler as set forth in claim 'l characterized by means for presetting the motor drive of the cradle moving means to eliect a desired change in the working pass of the leveling rolls.

WILLIAM D. SI-HELDS. l

'of side frames upstanding thereorna yoke mount- 

